McMahon & Mann worked with Cornell and Company Inc. and the general contractor, Cold Springs Construction Corp. to design the backstay anchors for the construction of the new U.S. Rt. 219 arch bridge over Cattaraugus Creek.

The backstay anchors hold up the arch bridge as it is erected. They consist of eight anchorages, four on each side of the gorge. Each anchorage consists of a reinforced concrete block, supported by steel piles and tied back to the abutment with 3 – 1 ¼ high strength steel rock anchors that extend 50 feet into the gorge face.